The Hunted
by AhmoseInarus
Summary: Let Me In: 15 - A case gives Hotch and Reid 'ideas'... and the experimenting with their intimacy begins with a new form of getting into the mood... A Lion hunts his Gazelle in the dark... Adult themes!


The Hunted

Hatochiisai

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, nor do I make any money off of writing this.

SLASH WARNING! Hotch/Reid

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QUANTICO, 9:42 PM

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Section Chief Erin Strauss stood from her desk, pulled on her coat and flicked off the lights. She picked up her briefcase and left her office, closing the door and heading down the hall. She reached the elevator and pushed the button, then waited. After a few moments, there was a ping and the elevator opened. Strauss checked herself as she went to step in. She blinked, slightly surprised. This late in the evening, she had never expected to see the elevator so full. Aaron Hotchner and his team stepped out, Go Bags slung over their shoulders. They were all chatting softly, smiling and yawning and blinking tired eyes.

"Evening." The Unit Chief mumbled, walking by her with a nod.

"Hello, Erin. Goodnight." Rossi greeted, following Hotchner over towards their offices.

"Ma'am." Agents Prentiss and Jareau smiled and nodded, heading to their office and desk.

"Baby Girl, I will help you move the equipment IN." Agent Morgan said, stepping out with Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia. "But I still don't see how—"

"That system was BRILLIANT." Garcia cut the man off. "I am SO glad you guys called me in to look at that thing. I can make my own system so much better now! Oh! Ma'am! Hi!" She blurted, nodding to Strauss, then immediately bustling off towards her office. "I'm gonna start ordering the equipment right now, Derek! I'll let you know as soon as I get it all in!"

"Oh, I see! I'm just your Beast of Burden!"

"Oh, you're a beast, alright!" The woman called. "A big sexy beast of—"

"HEY!" Morgan shouted after her. "Behave!" And he headed to his desk.

Strauss raised an eyebrow as the last member of the Bureau's best BAU team shuffled out of the elevator, rubbing his eyes with a fist. Agent Reid blinked, looking slightly startled to see her. She was having difficulty holding back an amused smile at just how sleepy and child-like the young man appeared.

"Ma'am." He mumbled. "Have a go—hhhuuuhhhmmm—good night…" He said, mouth stretching wide open in a yawn. She couldn't hold back the smile this time. She nodded to him.

"Long case?" She asked. Reid flushed slightly, embarrassed, and nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Your team looks exhausted."

"We are." Reid said, nodding.

"When did you last sleep?"

"… It's been about three days for all of us. This case was rushed. We were short on time."

"You're all smiling, though." She pointed out.

"Yes ma'am." Reid said, nodding. "The best outcome we could have hoped for."

"Good to hear it. You and your team get some rest. Enjoy your weekend."

"Thank you ma'am. You too." Reid said with a nod, and headed towards his desk. Strauss got into the elevator. As the doors closed, she watched Prentiss, Reid and Morgan. Morgan had dumped the contents of his Go Bag out on his desk. As Reid wandered past, the man picked up a towel, twisted it around and then whipped it out, popping Reid on the backside as the youth passed. Reid yipped and lept forward, hand flying down to his bottom where he was lashed. He whirled and slung his Go Bag around, and Morgan had to leap back to avoid being struck in the head with the thing. Prentiss was laughing. The elevator doors closed and the box carried her down to the parking garage.

Hotch and Rossi both looked up from their desks at a commotion in the Bull Pen. Hotch stood and looked out the windows, and Rossi stood in the doorway to his office. They watched as Reid ran around the Bull Pen, yelping and leaping as Morgan continued snapping him with his towel. Prentiss waited until they were running in circles around the table in the meeting room before taking several files from her desk and slipping them into the pile on Reid's desk.

"Emily!" Rossi cried, feigning shock.

"Busted!" JJ sang as she walked by, heading for Hotch's office, but stopping and staring at Reid and Morgan in the meeting room, as did Garcia when she came in with her bag and coat to say goodnight to everyone.

"Oh, come on, Rossi." The woman snorted, smirking. "He'll STILL finish before me."

Rossi just snorted and watched as Reid came hurtling down the walkway from the meeting room towards his office chanting a desperate "No no no no no no no no!" as he ran. Rossi stepped back as Reid tore by, Morgan right on his heels. This time, Rossi could hear the SNAP as Morgan whipped the towel out. Reid let out a high pitched "YIPE!" and darted through the door and into Hotch's office.

The team watched through the window as Morgan and Reid proceeded to run in circles around Hotch's desk now.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING?" The man bellowed, scooting his chair closer to his desk to get out of their way.

"Hotch! Hotch, help!" Reid yelped then leapt onto the desk, sending pens and papers flying, and slid across, plopping down into his boss' lap, flinging his arms around the man's neck and hiding his face in his shoulder. Hotch looked around in dismay at the mess of papers. Then he pointed a finger at Morgan.

"YOU are cleaning this up." He said. "And now YOU get to do the paperwork FOR me."

"… What?" Morgan yelped, finally lowering his weapon. "Me? He did it!" He cried, pointing an accusing finger at Reid, who turned his head and stuck his tongue out at Morgan.

"Yes, and he chased HIMSELF around the office, too." Hotch snorted, sliding his arms under Reid's knees and shoulders, and standing. Reid grinned as the man kissed his cheek and walked over to the door of his office.

"I expect it done by morning, Morgan." Hotch called over his shoulder. "I'm going home."

"WHAT?" Morgan yelped again, following.

"I have to take Spencer home and help him cope with the trauma."

"… Trauma? WHAT trauma!"

"The trauma of being assaulted by a team mate." Hotch called back, trying not to grin as Reid giggled. "Yes, JJ?"

"Uh… It can wait til Monday." JJ said, shaking her head and grinning; she was thoroughly amused with how much Hotch lightened up around Reid. Hotch nodded, finally setting Reid down on his feet.

"Get your stuff." He told Reid and his subordinate nodded, hurrying to his desk.

"Hotch, come ON, man!" Morgan cried as Hotch stepped back into his office and grabbed his coat and Go Bag so that he could restock it at home. Hotch looked up at Morgan, amused.

"I have to humor him SOME times." Hotch said with a smile and a shrug. "Just clean up the mess. You don't have to do my paperwork." Morgan blinked and looked relieved, then shook his head.

"You're spoiling him, Hotch." The man chuckled.

"He deserves it." Hotch said with a grin, and Morgan snorted.

"He has you wrapped around his finger." Rossi pointed out from the doorway.

"I know." Hotch said, chuckling. "Just don't tell HIM that." And he turned and flicked off the light, leaving his office. "Everyone go home! Get some sleep! Enjoy your weekend! Reid! Your place or mine?"

"I have to feed the cats." Reid shrugged, walking over the joining the man. The team watched the pair link fingers for a moment and head for the elevator. "Later guys!"

"Bye!" Prentiss and JJ called.

"They're so CUTE!" Garcia gushed. Morgan and Rossi just shook their heads, grinning and watching as Hotch and Reid disappeared into the elevator.

* * *

As soon as the doors closed, Reid found himself enveloped in a strong embrace. "You know…" Hotch murmured. "Maybe you and I should just… get a place together."

"That would be a dead giveaway, Aaron." Reid sighed. "If we had the same address, the Bureau would find out." Hotch sighed and pulled away as the elevator slowed and stopped. The pair were simply standing side by side when another tired looking Agent stepped in, nodding politely and pressing the button for the parking garage, even though it was still lit up from when Hotch had pressed it. They rode the rest of the way down in silence, and headed for Hotch's car when they reached the garage. They put their Go Bags in the trunk and finally, they were heading for Reid's loft only a couple miles away.

"You know…" Reid said after a moment. "I was thinking…"

"About what?"

"About this case."

"… What about it?" Hotch asked. A man had been kidnapping women who resembled his late wife, taking them to his home and turning off all the lights. He would them let them go and hunt them down in the pitch blackness that came courtesy of the boarded up windows and doors. And when he caught them, he would rape them. The women would then find themselves guided into a car, blindfolded and dropped off on some random street corner. None of them had ever seen the house they had been in, or the man who had taken them.

Over the course of the investigation, they had learned that this was a game that he and his wife used to play when they were younger… playing a game of tag in the dark that always ended up in passionate love making. When his wife died, he had spiraled into depression until he finally broke.

"The whole… hunting them down in the dark, thing…" Reid said after a moment. Hotch glanced over at him.

"What about it?"

"I dunno…" Reid said. "I mean… Other than the whole… the guy kidnapped and raped them and hunted them against their will and all… I mean… when he was doing it with his wife… two consenting people… just kind of… playing… I mean, playing this game was like foreplay for them… It…" Hotch blinked and glanced over at Reid. The boy had wrapped his arms around his mid section and crossed his legs… and he was squirming slightly.

"You see how it could be… arousing?" Hotch offered.

"… Yeah." Reid admitted. Hotch blinked, then smirked.

"You find the idea arousing."

"I… Y-Yeah…"

"And you want to maybe try it sometime."

"… I uh… I think so… yeah… maybe…" Reid whispered. Hotch smiled.

"We'll see." He said, pulling into a parking spot. He and Reid gathered their things and headed up to Reid's loft. Hotch disarmed the security alarm and Reid went to feed the fish and his cats. Reid repacked and restocked both his, and Hotch's Go Bags while Hotch took a shower.

Then, while Reid showered, Hotch sat down on the sofa and drifted off into thought about what Reid had said in the car… about how the thought of being hunted left him… hot and bothered.

He knew that Reid liked to be physically dominated in bed… the boy had told him so himself. He found it arousing when Hotch held him down, so it made sense that being pursued in that manner would appeal to him too… And besides… what pair of lovers NEVER had the occasional game of chase before they had sex. It wasn't unusual. He remembered a couple of times where he and Haley had chased each other around a bit before making love… Of course… the lights had been on and they had been laughing. Hotch smiled at the memory. God… that was so long ago. Long before Jack was ever born… Hell, he and Haley had still been kids at the time. But they had loved every minute of it.

Then he thought about the conversation he and Reid had right after the incident with Arturo Coronado... They had talked about... experimenting with their sex life... Slowly, a smirk began to cross over the man's face. Well... No time like the present.

Hotch stood and walked over to the windows. He grabbed the thick curtains and drew them closed, making sure they would not let in ANY light… he walked over to the fish tank and turned off the light inside. He grabbed the digital clock on Reid's bedside table and shoved it into the drawer of the table. And he got a roll of duct tape from the tool kit under the kitchen sink and used it to cover every other little light he could think of. Then he walked over to the light switch, and flicked it off.

Oops! Of course. How could he forget? Chuckling to himself, he walked across the loft and over to the dresser. Then he leaned over, and unplugged Reid's little night light. And the loft was pitch black. He waited a bit to let his eyes adjust, but he could detect no source of light… perfect.

Hotch heard the shower turn off and he sighed, nodding to himself. He walked back across the loft and flicked the light back on, then sat back down on the sofa again, smirking to himself. If he could, he would give Spencer the world. It would be easy to give him a fantasy…

"What's so funny?" Reid asked, walking over and tilting his head, smiling at the look on Hotch's face. Hotch blinked and looked up. A drop of water dripped from Reid's wet hair and ran down his chest and stomach. Hotch followed its progress until it disappeared into the towel wrapped around Reid's waist.

"Nothing." Hotch said, smiling up at the boy. "Come here." He said, grabbing Reid's hands and drawing him close, kissing the tops of his hands.

"I love you, Aaron." Reid grinned, moving to straddle Hotch's lap and kiss his lover. Hotch let his hands fall to Reid's hips, and the boy whimpered as he felt the cool draft of the air conditioner over his thighs and backside as the towel was stripped away. Then he gasped as his superior gripped his buttocks in his strong hands and smirked up at the boy. Reid stared down at him with wide eyes, flushing in embarrassment.

"Uh… Hotch? My uh…" He squeaked, and Hotch chuckled.

"Yes?" He prompted, pulling Reid's hips into his own.

"Uhhhh… Nothing…" Reid mumbled, and Hotch raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" He asked, and his hands slid down the backs of Reid's thighs. Reid squirmed, then stood, pushing Hotch's hands away.

"I'm gonna go get dressed." Reid said.

"No you're not." Hotch snorted, grabbing Reid's hips and spinning the boy, then staring at the skinny little behind before him. And he just… sat there. Reid blinked, slowly peering over his shoulder at the man.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Imagining how your ass would look with my badge tattooed on it."

"HOTCH!" Reid cried, jumping away. He was both mortified, and amused; what the hell had put Aaron Hotchner into such an odd state? Hotch just smirked. "You're sick." Reid snorted, rolling his eyes and walking across the loft. Hotch's smirk slowly widened to a predatory grin as he silently stood and followed. His movements were graceful and stealthy, like a lion stalking its prey. And his lover was digging in a drawer for a pair of pajama pants like a little gazelle grazing, oblivious to the predator coming up behind him.

Hotch-Lion tensed, then lunged. Reid-Gazelle let out a startled noise and bolted.

"HOTCH!" Reid yelped, running across the loft and around the sofa. Hotch planted a hand on the back of the sofa and hurtled it. Reid let out a shriek and darted around the island separating the living area from the kitchen. He and Hotch faced each other, bodies tense. Hotch slowly pulled off his shirt, smirking as Reid was unable to resist breaking eye contact to slowly look the man's body over, admiring the full curves of his muscles wrapped around his bones. Slowly, the pair began to circle the island, staring each other down. Hotch was pleased with how Reid watched him move as he tossed his pants aside… the boy ran his tongue over his lips as he watched the elder's muscles rolling smoothly under his lightly tanned skin.

Hotch eyed Reid's nude body up and down as well; tall and slender, lightly toned… He had two ways of moving… Awkward around strangers, when he was tense and nervous, but when he was with just the team, or just with Hotch especially, his movements were lithe and graceful, but still shy and tentative. Like now…

Hotch was amused with his little lion/gazelle analogy; it fit so well. He was big and strong and powerful… Reid was thin, delicate and quick. Hotch was very much a predator in this moment, and Reid had no problem falling into the role of the prey… He was nervous and skittish, ready to bolt the moment the hunter made his move.

The kittens sat curled on the sofa and watched the men circle around the island. Hotch found himself by the wall. And he grinned, reaching out. Reid blinked, and his eyes widened. Hotch flicked the lights off. Reid stood rooted to the spot. The loft was pitch black… he had drawn all the curtains. And dammit! Hotch had unplugged his night light! He had to have planned this, the bastard... He had turned off the light in the fish tank, too. He heard movement and tensed, holding his breath.

He could hear his heart pounding in his chest, and the clock ticking on the wall. Across the room, the kittens were purring loudly as they prepared to doze off. He could also hear the soft humming and trickling of the filter on his 100 gallon fish tank in the middle of the loft. A car drove by outside…

Then, he heard a soft papery hiss; a bare foot sliding across the hardwood floor a few feet to his left. Reid gasped and stumbled back and he heard feet pursuing him, and then he could hear Hotch breathing… The man was finding this hunt arousing. Reid managed to reach the rug that made up the "boundaries" of the living room. Now able to move in silence much easier, Reid crept across the room and moved between the sofa and the coffee table.

His eyes and ears strained to locate Hotch… His heart continued to pound, his blood singing in his veins… his body tingled and a shiver ran down his spine… he had to admit it… the adrenaline that came from being plunged into darkness and being hunted mixed well with the anticipation of what Hotch was going to do to him when the lion finally brought down his trembling gazelle.

"… Spencer…?" Lion-Hotch called in a taunting manner, and Gazelle-Reid shivered… the man's voice was a hybrid of a purr and a growl. "Spencer…" Reid gasped. Hotch's voice had moved a significant distance to the left… and Reid hadn't even heard him move. He was doomed… He scuttled around the sofa and around the fish tank, ducking down on the other side of it. He held his breath and listened. Lion-Hotch passed the fish tank, heading back towards the bed. Reid listened… when the man slipped into the closet, Gazelle-Reid sprang to his feet and fled back to the kitchen. He pressed himself into the corner of the counters by the dishwasher and gasped for breath, his body quivering.

He heard what sounded like a low growl on the other side of the loft. Lion-Hotch was climbing the iron spiral stairs to the door to the rooftop patio, just covering all of Reid's options. When he came back down, he grabbed Reid's potted palm and moved it in front of the stairs. Reid winced. He wouldn't be able to get up the stairs without making noise now… and he closed the door to the closet. That door squeaked. So now he was cut off from that spot, too. Hotch moved around to the bathroom. Reid winced again; the man was checking every hiding spot, and then denying Reid access to them…

Reid listened to Hotch move through the loft, searching for him. Reid bit back a moan, reaching down and giving himself a few slow strokes… he gasped and shivered, then froze as he heard Hotch suck in his breath and hold it. Reid gulped and moved away from the counter.

"NYAAO!"

"OW! FUCKING CAT!" Hotch suddenly roared, and Reid heard the man stumble into the wall and the jingling of a bell collar as one of the cats fled across the apartment. Reid bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Then he heard a hiss. "Fuck… Ow…" The man snarled. "Come here!" And he heard Hotch move across the apartment. He opened the door to the bathroom and Reid heard one kitten run in, while Hotch tossed in the other. Grinning, Reid scurried across the apartment and over by the spiral stairs. He and Hotch were only twenty feet apart now, with a king sized bed between them. Hotch closed the door and turned, moving towards the kitchen again.

Reid moved silently and slid onto the bed. He reached over to the bedside table and eased open the drawer, taking out the lube. Rather than popping open the cap with a loud snap, he unscrewed it and dipped his fingers in. He listened to Hotch slowly move around across the loft and shivered. He knew it was only a matter of time before he was caught, and when Hotch caught him, he didn't want anything to stall them…

Reid laid himself down on his bed, stretching out for a moment before moving his fingers down between his legs. He closed his eyes and his mouth fell open in a silent moan as he prepared himself for what was to come...

But suddenly, Reid snapped his eyes open and froze, holding his breath. The loft was silent. He couldn't hear Hotch… His heart began to pound… damn… how could he lose track of the man! Then, he heard it… a soft exhale only feet away. Hotch had heard the wet, slick sounds of Reid preparing his body to receive the elder… And now the predator loomed over his prey.

Reid's eyes widened and he threw himself to the side, rolling as the lion pounced, claws outstretched to capture his gazelle. But the lithe creature nimbly lept back and Lion-Hotch let out a frustrated snarl as his fingertips merely brushed across the soft flesh he had tried to seize. He lunged after Gazelle-Reid, growling. The boy gasped and fled, Hotch on his heels. The pair stumbled through the blackness of the loft. Reid yelped as he barked his shin on the corner of the coffee table, but he lunged towards the arm chair and lept over it, dropping to his hands and knees and scuttling around behind the sofa. He reached over the back, grabbed a little throw pillow and flung it in the direction of Hotch's heavy breathing.

"HEY!" The man yelped, and lept onto the sofa. Reid slid around and over to the wall. Lion-Hotch was crouching on the sofa, listening. Reid sat against the wall, trying to keep his breathing soft and easy…

Hotch frowned. He had lost the kid again… He turned towards the back of the loft and frowned, hopping over the back of the sofa and moving around the fish tank. When Reid was sure Hotch wouldn't be able to see, he slipped behind the long, thick curtains covering the main window and crawling onto the window seat. He flopped down on the pillowed bench and stretched out languidly, running his hands over his own body, slick with sweat.

This time he kept his focus. He listened to the every move of the man hunting him down. He held his breath and tensed when Lion-Hotch passed by him… he was only a foot away… just a bolt of cloth between them… but Hotch moved on and Reid relaxed, smiling to himself in satisfaction. He turned his head and looked through the window, peering up at the sky and staring at the stars as he gave his aching arousal a few leisurely strokes. His eyes fluttered and a soft moan crossed his lips, followed by a sigh. Then he froze, mentally berating himself. Hotch had gone silent. Slowly, Reid sat up, staring at the curtains and wondering what was on the other side. He sat on his knees, his heart pounding, blood racing.

Then he heard a soft muffled thump, nowhere near the window. Quickly, Gazelle-Reid slipped between the curtains, gracefully landing in a crouch on the floor. His eyes darted around in the blackness, ears focused to pick up the slightest noise. His body was tense, muscles seemed to hum and vibrate in their readiness to respond at the slightest need…

Slowly, Gazelle-Reid stood, his body unfolding. He took a few steps into the room, then froze.

There was a deep, dark chuckle behind him, and then a strong arm wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his side and a hand covered his mouth as he let out a startled yelp, thrashing. "You throw a pillow to throw me off my game… it's only fair if I throw one to throw you off of yours…"

The gazelle struggled desperately to escape the clutches of the lion, but his long delicate limbs did not have the strength to break the hold of the powerful hunter. There was a snarl, and then teeth on the juncture of his neck and shoulder…

Gazelle-Reid writhed within the powerful grip that he was held in, but he was unable to break free. He groaned as Lion-Hotch bit down at the base of his neck and dragged him across the loft. Gazelle-Reid continued to thrash and struggle, but a moment later he was thrown to the floor.

Lion-Hotch felt a thrill run through him as he brought his prey down. His beautiful gazelle thrashed beneath him, trying to get away and flee. But no… the lion had brought him down, he would not let him up again. He was victorious. He had won. The trembling body in his grip was his… the tender flesh at his mercy… And it was time to claim his prize.

Reid jumped when he felt the warm breath on his ear. "Let me in…" Came the low growl, and then teeth sunk into Reid's neck. Powerful arms wrapped around Reid and the boy struggled within the domineering grip. Lion-Hotch grunted and snarled and the pair began to wrestle all out, Gazelle-Reid struggling to escape, Lion-Hotch fighting to keep him contained. Reid managed to flip over onto his back and plant a foot in the middle of Hotch's chest. A moment later Hotch yelped as he was kicked back. He heard Gazelle-Reid frantically scrambling to his feet, but the boy only made it a yard away before he was one more tackled to the floor.

This time, no more words were said. The lion gave a snarl, almost mocking the frantic escape attempts of the gazelle thrashing in his grasp… The long legs kicked desperately in a last ditch effort, but the great cat easily pinned the trembling creature. Then Lion-Hotch smirked, mounted Gazelle-Reid and claimed his lover.

Their mating was rough and intense, and Lion-Hotch growled his pleasure into the boy's ear. He heard the boy's fingernails scrape over the hardwood floor as he sobbed, body writhing in ecstasy, and before either knew it, their climax was upon them, and it was over.

Lion-Hotch hung over his prey, gasping for breath. Slowly, he reached out and ran a hand over Gazelle-Reid's sweat soaked locks. A moment later, the exhausted gazelle felt strong arms slide under his body and lift him off of the floor. He managed a tiny whimper, but that was all.

Hotch turned and carefully made his way to the bed. When he reached it, he gently lay Reid down, then turned and moved over to the dresser and plugged the night light back in. Now able to see, he made his way to the bathroom and ran the warm water, wetting a hand towel. He made his way back to the bed and gently cleaned his fallen gazelle of the evidence of their furious copulation.

He then wiped himself down before tossing the cloth aside and sliding onto the bed, taking his subordinate into his arms and gently cuddling him.

"… Love you, Aaron…" Game the soft coo. Hotch smiled, drawing the blankets up over them.

"Love you too, Spencer…" He murmured softly. He listened to his lover sigh, and then to his breathing as it evened out. And once the great Lion was sure that his captive Gazelle was sleeping peacefully, he closed his eyes, purred, and allowed sleep to take him.

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END

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